Deep Beneath the Waves

Tim stands barefoot on the warm wooden platform and pulls the big flippers on over ten wriggling toes. The sea glitters turquoise and gold down below, and somewhere deep under it, something moves. What would the sea show Tim today? Tim narrows both eyes and looks right in.

Tim stands barefoot on the warm wooden platform and pulls the big flippers on over ten wriggling toes. The sea glitters turquoise and gold down below, and somewhere deep under it, something moves. What would the sea show Tim today? Tim narrows both eyes and looks right in.

One last moment on the sun-warm plank: Tim bites into a piece of mango, sweet and juicy as summer. Then out comes a shout, loud across the water, just for the fun of it. A cheeky seagull hops straight closer and tips its head, as if it wanted to hear the answer too.

One last moment on the sun-warm plank: Tim bites into a piece of mango, sweet and juicy as summer. Then out comes a shout, loud across the water, just for the fun of it. A cheeky seagull hops straight closer and tips its head, as if it wanted to hear the answer too.

Splash! Tim slips into the cool water. A tingle runs all the way up both arms. The moment the diving mask dips under, a whole glowing world opens up: corals in pink and gold, sunbeams dancing through the water like ribbons. What would the sea show Tim today? Tim swims deeper.

Splash! Tim slips into the cool water. A tingle runs all the way up both arms. The moment the diving mask dips under, a whole glowing world opens up: corals in pink and gold, sunbeams dancing through the water like ribbons. What would the sea show Tim today? Tim swims deeper.

A shimmering swarm of tiny fish circles Tim like a silver ribbon. One twirl, and the swarm twirls too. One dive, and the fish dive after. “You follow me everywhere!” giggles Tim into the snorkel mask, and bubbles go glugging up to the light.

A shimmering swarm of tiny fish circles Tim like a silver ribbon. One twirl, and the swarm twirls too. One dive, and the fish dive after. “You follow me everywhere!” giggles Tim into the snorkel mask, and bubbles go glugging up to the light.

Out of the sunlit lagoon something big and calm comes gliding. An old sea turtle, with a pattern on her back like a map. She looks at Tim, nods slowly and swings one flipper. What would the sea show Tim today? Tim swims after her.

Out of the sunlit lagoon something big and calm comes gliding. An old sea turtle, with a pattern on her back like a map. She looks at Tim, nods slowly and swings one flipper. What would the sea show Tim today? Tim swims after her.

The turtle stops at a rock. A little octopus sits there, staring into a narrow, dark crack. Its arms are trembling. “What's in there?” thinks Tim, and dives down deeper. Right at the bottom of the crack lies a shell, pearl-white and far out of reach.

The turtle stops at a rock. A little octopus sits there, staring into a narrow, dark crack. Its arms are trembling. “What's in there?” thinks Tim, and dives down deeper. Right at the bottom of the crack lies a shell, pearl-white and far out of reach.

Tim reaches a hand into the crack. Too tight. Another try from the side. Still too dark, too narrow. Then Tim spots the soft sand in front of it, and fans with the flippers, gently at first, then harder – whoosh, whoosh – until the sand whirls away and the crack opens up a little. Tim's fingers close around the shell.

Tim reaches a hand into the crack. Too tight. Another try from the side. Still too dark, too narrow. Then Tim spots the soft sand in front of it, and fans with the flippers, gently at first, then harder – whoosh, whoosh – until the sand whirls away and the crack opens up a little. Tim's fingers close around the shell.

As the shell glides up into the sunlight, it opens with a quiet click. Inside lies a small pearl, warm and golden as the glow of a candle. Tim forgets to breathe. The octopus stretches out one arm and touches the pearl ever so gently, and its skin lights up pink with pure joy.

As the shell glides up into the sunlight, it opens with a quiet click. Inside lies a small pearl, warm and golden as the glow of a candle. Tim forgets to breathe. The octopus stretches out one arm and touches the pearl ever so gently, and its skin lights up pink with pure joy.

The octopus whirls through the water and paints ink-black spirals across the blue floor. A laugh – bubbles, bubbles everywhere. Then comes the sparkle high above: the surface of the water, golden and near. Tim pushes off from the rock and kicks with the flippers, once, twice, until Tim's head breaks into the warm light.

The octopus whirls through the water and paints ink-black spirals across the blue floor. A laugh – bubbles, bubbles everywhere. Then comes the sparkle high above: the surface of the water, golden and near. Tim pushes off from the rock and kicks with the flippers, once, twice, until Tim's head breaks into the warm light.

Tim sits on the platform, a fluffy towel wrapped all around, and holds the smooth shell up to one ear. The sea rushes softly inside it, quiet and warm. Tim closes both eyes. Today the sea had shown Tim everything.

Tim sits on the platform, a fluffy towel wrapped all around, and holds the smooth shell up to one ear. The sea rushes softly inside it, quiet and warm. Tim closes both eyes. Today the sea had shown Tim everything.